Gurudev And Mata Ji

Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya

THE
saint-scholar-philosopher par excellence Pt.
Shriram Sharma Acharya is the founder of
Shantikunj, which has emerged over the years
as a unique center and fountain-head of a
global movement for moral - spiritual
regeneration and the center for inter
communion of science and spirituality in the
light of glorious Indian heritage. Born in a
village Anvalkheda; near Agra, UP in India, in
1911, he took unusual interest in spiritual
devotion and social services right from
childhood.

Great freedom fighter and
founder of Banaras Hindu University, Pandit
Madan Mohan Malviya, solemnized his Yagyopavit
(sacred thread) ceremony and initiated him in
Gayatri Mantra in 1923. At the age of 15, on
the holy day of Vasant Panchami
his Spiritual Guru (initiator), a great
Himalayan Yogi Swami Sarveshwaranandji
appeared (in astral form) in his vision during
worship.

At his guidance, he performed twenty-four
lakhs, i.e. 2.4 million, Gayatri Mantras per
year for twenty-four years. He visited
Himalayas four times for higher spiritual
attainments. He also took active part in
India's freedom movement. He has to his
credit, the unique distinctions of writing and
publishing of commentary on almost all the
Arsh Granthas (the ancient Indian scriptures),
namely all the 4 Vedas, 108 Upnishads, 20
Smrities, 6 Darshans, and important Purans.
They were easily comprehensible and readily
available. He went into Sookshmikaran Sadhna
(transformation of physical being into astral
one through higher Yogic practices); to
generate the mighty spiritual power required
for advent of golden era for mankind. He
ultimately departed on 2nd June 1990, from his
physical being on Gayatri Jayanti, the day
celebrated as the day of incarnation of
Gayatri Shakti on the earth, in the form of
wisdom and prudence in mankind. This
Mahasamadhi was in pursuance of the
commandment of Mahakal (Almighty God) to
accelerate the process of reviving Golden Era.
He wrote more than 3200 books on a variety of
subjects such as spirituality, philosophy of
Gayatri and Yagna, family welfare, social
reformation, moral education and most
importantly, the revolutionary literature
written before Mahaprayan (departure from his
physical being) on the advent of the new era
and the bright future of mankind in the 21st
century. To know more please contact Vatika
Shaktipeeth.

Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma

BORN on September 1926, in
a famous priestly family, Mata Bhagwati Devi (Mataji),
was extraordinary in her own way and unlike
other children, was not interested in regular
childhood activities such as playing, etc.
Instead, she was more interested in
worshipping God. She spent most of her time in
singing devotional songs. Her favorite pastime
was to make the offering of the Bilva tree
leaves at the idol of Lord Shiva, and writing
"OM NAMAH SHIVAYA".

During the early stages of
her education, she studied Bhagwat Gita, and
RamCharit Manas. After her marriage to Pt.
Shriram Sharma Acharya (Gurudev), Mataji took
over the responsibility of looking after
visitors and guests. She willingly donated all
her personal jewelry, which she received at
her wedding, to Gurudev's Yug Nirman Yojna
(mission for creation of a new Era), for
establishment of Gayatri Tapobhumi at Mathura.
This is the place where a grand 1008 kundiya
Gayatri Mahayagna took place in 1958.

In 1960, when Gurudev went to the Himalayas,
Mataji took over Gurudev's responsibilities
such as editing and publishing various
magazines, administration of Gayatri Tapobhumi,
and Yug Nirman Yojna, etc. When Gurudev
returned, he declared celebration of Grand
1008 kundiya Gayatri Yagnas at Porbander in
Gujarat, Baharaich in Uttar Pradesh,
Mahasamund in Madhya Pradesh, Bhilwada in
Rajasthan, and Tatanagar in Bihar. Mataji took
an active role in all of these activities. At
the same time, more than four thousand
branches of Gayatri Pariwar, all over the
country, were started.

By then, Yug Nirman Yojna mission had spread
all over India; and there was significant
readership of various magazines of Mission.In
1975, under the leadership of Mataji, Mahila
Jagran Abhiyan (movement for emancipation of
women) was initiated. Soon, about 4000
branches of Mahila Jagran Abhiyan were
established with more than one million active
participants. Its work was not limited to mere
Slogan-raising, but also women's education,
economic self-support, sacramental rites and
acquiring self-respect, abolition of dowry and
fight against the discrimination of women.
Mataji considered everyone as part of her
family. It was of prime importance to her, to
arrange for their comfortable stay and
spiritual guidance. It would not even come
close if compared to all the comforts and
luxuries that one would receive in a luxurious
hotel.

Such was the love and affection that people
enjoyed from her. People do not come to
Shantikunj as tourists, but come for
recharging themselves and to experience the
peace and tranquillity in their personal
lives. Mataji's physical presence was, thus,
very essential at Shantikunj. It was this
consideration for the welfare of the Parijans
that prevented her from leaving Shantikunj for
more than 20 years. Occasionally, she used to
go for evening walk with Gurudev to the bank
of Holy river Ganges.

When Gurudev took mahasamadhi on June 02,
1990, Gayatri Jayanti day, Mataji took over
all the responsibilities of the mission and
carried them over with great courage. In
October 1990, under Mataji's guidance, Grand
Shraddhanjali Samaroh, a program to pay homage
to Gurudev, was organized . Over 15,00,000
devotees from all over the world participated
in it, and resolved to carry-on the works of
Gurudev, for dissemination of philosophy of
Gayatri and Yagna. In 1992, on Gayatri Jayanti
Day, Mataji disclosed about Gurudev's message
from subtle and astral realms for the spread
of Dev- Sanskriti (divine Indian culture or
religious culture) all over the world for
which series of Grand Ashwamedha Yagyas were
to be performed. The series of Ashwamedha
Yagnas started from Jaipur in Nov.1992. Till
now, twenty-seven such grand Ashwamedha Yagnas
have been celebrated in INDIA and abroads,
besides the grand Anwalkheda (birthplace of
Acharyaji near Agra, city of Taj) Pratham
Poornahuti Samaroh in 1995. Mataji attended
eighteen of them. It was for the first time
that Mataji visited UK, Canada and USA in
three Ashwamedh yagnas in Leicester-UK,
Toronto - Canada and Los Angeles - USA.

Mataji initiated millions of people into
Gayatri Mantra and with this, a new wave of
character-building and social reform started.
Mataji too, withdrew to the astral realm, to
join her aradhya satta there, on September 19,
1994, Bhadrapad Mahapoornima day. This was
done so that both of them could work together,
as collaborators of the immortal Rishis and
sages of Himalayas, (who are the guides and
Guardian Angles of the Soul of the Earth), for
ushering in a new Era in the Twenty-first
century.